When the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), through its Acting CEO Eveleen Mitei, declared that school heads must now rise beyond routine administration and take charge as instructional leaders, change managers, and chief curriculum implementers, it marked a bold shift in Kenya’s education leadership landscape. No longer are principals and headteachers expected to simply run institutions—they must now actively drive teaching quality, oversee curriculum delivery, manage finances prudently, integrate technology, and safeguard teacher well-being. At the centre of this transformation is the successful implementation of the Competency-Based Education.
It is a progressive vision. But on the ground, especially in primary schools, it is also a demanding one—perhaps even mismatched with reality.
For many primary school headteachers, the directive lands heavily not because they oppose it, but because of what it assumes: that all school heads are equally prepared to lead, supervise, and manage a curriculum that is increasingly specialised and technically demanding. This is where the real tension begins.
A significant number of primary school headteachers are not Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers. They neither trained for nor have direct classroom experience in JSS subject delivery. Yet under the new expectations, they are required to supervise instruction, guide teachers, and ensure effective implementation of a curriculum that was, in many ways, designed for a different cadre of educators. The question, therefore, becomes unavoidable—how can they effectively manage what they were not prepared to teach?
This disconnect creates a leadership strain that is both professional and practical.
Traditionally, headteachers operated within a system where broad oversight was sufficient. The former structure allowed them to supervise teaching without needing deep specialisation. However, CBE—particularly at the JSS level—demands more. It requires an understanding of competency-based assessment, differentiated instruction, and subject-specific pedagogy. Supervision is no longer about checking lesson attendance or schemes of work; it is about engaging with the quality, relevance, and depth of learning.
For a headteacher without JSS grounding, this becomes a difficult terrain to navigate.
Lesson supervision, for instance, risks becoming superficial. While a headteacher may competently assess classroom management or lesson organisation, they may struggle to interrogate whether the content is delivered effectively or whether competencies are being achieved. The finer details—the very elements that define CBE success—can easily be missed. As a result, instructional leadership may exist in form, but not in substance.
Assessment presents an even more complex challenge. CBE relies heavily on continuous assessment, requiring teachers to track learner progress across multiple competencies over time. This system demands consistency, accuracy, and a deep understanding of assessment tools. A headteacher unfamiliar with these frameworks may find it difficult to verify records, standardise practices across classes, or confidently respond to concerns from parents and education officers. In such a situation, accountability is high, but control is limited.
Credibility within the staffroom also becomes a silent but powerful issue. Teachers are more receptive to guidance from leaders who understand their professional realities. Where a headteacher lacks JSS experience, their authority may remain administrative, but not instructional. This can weaken efforts to build strong professional learning communities, as guidance may be viewed as procedural rather than insightful.
At the same time, the directive does not reduce existing responsibilities—it adds to them.
Primary school headteachers are still expected to manage finances, oversee infrastructure, handle staffing issues, respond to parents, and meet government reporting requirements. Now, they must also immerse themselves in curriculum leadership, technology integration, and teacher mentorship. In many schools, especially those with limited staffing, the headteacher is also a classroom teacher. The result is a workload that stretches beyond reasonable limits, leaving little time for the deep instructional engagement that CBE demands.
Yet despite these challenges, the situation is not without solutions. The reality is that headteachers do not necessarily need to be subject experts in JSS to lead effectively—but they must rethink how leadership is exercised.
One of the most practical approaches is embracing distributed leadership. Instead of carrying the entire burden alone, headteachers can empower JSS teachers, senior staff, and heads of departments to take active roles in curriculum supervision and mentorship. In this model, the headteacher becomes a coordinator of expertise rather than the sole source of it. This not only improves effectiveness but also builds ownership among teachers.
Professional learning communities can further bridge the gap. By encouraging teachers to collaborate, share experiences, and jointly solve instructional challenges, schools can create internal support systems that reduce overreliance on the headteacher. The role of the head then shifts to facilitating these engagements and ensuring they remain focused and productive.
Retooling is equally essential. If expectations have changed, then preparation must follow. Headteachers need targeted, practical training on CBE, especially at the JSS level. General workshops are not enough—there must be deliberate efforts to build their confidence in understanding assessment tools, interpreting curriculum designs, and supporting differentiated instruction.
Even so, individual effort alone will not solve systemic gaps. The Teachers Service Commission and education stakeholders must recognize that reforms of this magnitude require structural support. This includes reducing teaching loads for headteachers, deploying more staff, and ensuring that resources—especially for technology integration—are available. Without these, the directive risks becoming an ideal that is difficult to realise in practice.
Ultimately, managing a curriculum that one was not originally prepared for is not impossible—but it is not automatic either. It requires adjustment, support, and a shift in leadership approach. Headteachers must move from being controllers of systems to enablers of expertise within their schools.
READ ALSO: Why TSC is betting on principals to drive the engine of transformation under CBE
The vision articulated by Eveleen Mitei is undeniably forward-looking. It seeks to place school leadership at the heart of educational transformation. But for primary school headteachers—especially those outside the JSS framework—the journey toward that vision is filled with real and pressing challenges.
If these challenges are acknowledged and addressed, headteachers can rise to the occasion and drive meaningful change. But if they are overlooked, the risk is clear: leaders may be held accountable for outcomes they are not fully equipped to influence.
And in education, that is a risk the system cannot afford.
By Hillary Muhalya
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